City Admits To Weed Problem

If you think you have a weed problem you are not alone.

The City of Moose Jaw and other municipalities throughout the province are experiencing the same problem.

On questioning surrounding the quarterly departmental reports Parks and Recreation Director Derek Blais said the City has been struggling to keep weeds trimmed properly due to the weather.

Canada thistle going to seed on City owned property - MJ Independent photo

The issue of high grass and/or weed problems was brought forward by Councillor Scott McMann after what he saw driving around the City on Monday.

“I also drove around the City today and it certainly appears the walking track on the north end of the VLA there is two foot high grass around the bollards and that type of thing,” Councillor McMann said.

Councillor McMann wondered if the apparent overgrown grass and/or weeds was due to insufficient budgeting or staff to keep the unwanted greenery properly trimmed.

City manager Jim Puffalt said a major reason for the overgrowth in 2020 was COVID - 19 related because in 2019 the City did a good job with its asthetic maintenance.

“Some of the weather has not helped us this year and I think we are down on the number of staff we have because of COVID - 19 (cost cutting measures).”

Parks and Recreation Director Derek Blais said there were a variety of reasons for problems keeping up this year. The majority of it is training staff unfamiliar with the job.

“I will be the first to admit that we are behind,” Blais said, adding a big problem is not insufficient staff but continually training redeployed staff.

“They are doing things they have never done before. But in a normal year we bring back our 35 or 40 seasonal staff that have done this before they know the routine,” he said.

The weather has not helped with major rains throughout a good portion of July plus heat accelerating plant growth.

“You look at the amount of moisture we had from July 7th to 24th it was significant and matched with heat things start to grow. My garden at home is just going crazy,” he said.

Blais said in conversations he has had with other municipalities “a lot of people are experiencing the same issues as we are” controlling weeds.

Blais went on say they are looking at changes to how things are done to ensure the work is done better.

Things which could be changed such as trimming within 24 hours instead of three weeks later because “why go in and mow it still doesn’t look very nice.”